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A Study in Pink/Transcript
Maddie O'Malley: , as thrilled as I am about me and Charlie starting a family, I have to admit that recent developments make me fear for the world our child is coming into. Maddie: We'd always wondered how the Rochesters would have gone about turning Concordia into their very own city-state, beyond muzzling the press... Maddie: ... and now we know that they relied on the cooperation of Commissioner Mulroney, whom they've called upon to enforce their rule! Maddie: What's worse, the Commissioner also released ex-Chief Inspector Halsted from prison, and sent her to assassinate Deputy Mayor Lawson! Maddie: Thankfully, Deputy Mayor Lawson's alright, but Eleanor is still at large, and may strike again... Maddie: As for the Commissioner, lack of proof means we haven't been able to prosecute him, and he got away with a mere dismissal from the force. Maddie: Now that the Rochesters have lost their police allies, their position has weakened, but they are not defeated yet. Taking down Malcolm Rochester, the political force of the family, must happen next! Isaac: Unfortunately, Malcolm will have to wait. , we've just been called to the scene of a crime! Isaac: The editor-in-chief of the fiction magazine Pistols & Petticoats has just been found dead outside her office! Isaac: , our work is never done! Let's head to the Pistols & Petticoats office straight away! Chapter 1 Investigate Street Corner. Isaac Bontemps: , this must be Barbara Coldwell, the magazine editor! And look, the first-floor window is broken! Isaac: The killer pushed her clean through the closed window... At least there is no doubt about our murder weapon. Isaac: Now to gather suspects. That pendant appears to have fallen from the victim's neck... we need to identify this young woman! Isaac: And this elaborate card may have something to do with the murder. If you recover the text on it we'll know for certain! Isaac: Whether it be citywide conspiracy or simple murder, we must fulfill our duty as keepers of the peace! , let's go solve this crime! Examine Pendant. Isaac: , the young woman pictured in the pendant's photograph is named Verushka Coldwell! Isaac: "Verushka"? Didn't we meet a Verushka Coldwell back in Elysium Fields? Her boyfriend was murdered at Rockley Rochester's chocolate factory! Isaac: You're right, , "Coldwell" is the victim's last name as well! Verushka must be her daughter! Isaac: This means we have the unfortunate task of breaking the news to Miss Coldwell of her mother's murder... Inform Verushka Coldwell of her mother's murder. Isaac: Miss Coldwell, I'm sorry to bear the news, but your mother has been murdered. Verushka: My mother? Why would anyone want to bump her off? You're pullin' my leg! Isaac: I'm afraid it's true, Miss Coldwell. Her body was found in front of her office. Verushka: Wait, you're not kidding? My mother... my mother's dead?! Verushka (crying): I can't believe it! My life is RUINED! Verushka: No more Pistols & Petticoats! No more writerly society parties! No more romance writers to fawn over me! How could she do that to me, <Rank> ? Isaac: Yes, we can see you're distraught... We'll come by again later, Miss Coldwell. Isaac: , perhaps she's simply in shock, but Miss Coldwell's reaction to her mother's death was... misguided. Isaac: However, you're right, , this investigation has only just begun! We found the victim's body on the street, but she was clearly pushed from the window of her office. Isaac: The next logical step is to [[:File:CrimeScene_Pistols_%26_Petticoats_Office.png|search the Pistols & Petticoats office]] for clues! Let's away! Investigate Pistols & Petticoats Office. Isaac: I guess it makes sense that our clues are paper-related in an editorial office. The most suspicious item appears to be a torn-up page of writing! Isaac: And I agree with your hunch - if there was anything more to find here, it would be hidden in that paper bin. Let us dig in! Examine Torn Letter. Isaac: , this letter reads, "To whomsoever this may concern: I, Barbara Coldwell, have foisted my ostentatious person into the face of this world for far too long." Isaac: The authorities need not be involved, as this suicide is an occasion for which I have specifically planned. I am an unromantic, decadent, pink fraud. Sincerely, Barbara Coldwell." Isaac: , is this supposed to be a suicide letter? I've never heard of someone specifying the police should not be called upon before. Isaac: And who in the world finishes a suicide letter with "sincerely"? Isaac: , the killer clearly forged this absurd suicide letter, hoping to get us off the case! Isaac: They were right to tear the letter to pieces, as no one would ever believe it was real! Isaac: And hopefully, Diego will be able to tell us more about this letter's true author! Let's get it to him straight away! Analyze Suicide Letter. Diego: , Barbara Coldwell's so-called "suicide letter" smacks of more foul play than a mobster at a baseball game! Isaac: Precisely our sentiments! Can you tell us anything about its true author? Diego: I noticed hesitations in the handwriting, marking the moments in which the killer paused mind-sentence. Diego: I found the pauses to be strangely placed, until I realized that in an effort to sound literary, the killer was stopping to look up grammar rules. Diego: And I'm certain the killer did so with the popular reference text The Components of Composition. It's the best-known resource among writers. Isaac: A penchant for murder AND bad grammar? That's certainly a double negative against our killer! Examine Paper Bin. Isaac: , this flask you found in the paper bin belongs to a certain Callum Edwards! Isaac: Yes, I too remember meeting young Callum in Grim Chapel after the murder of his friend Edgar Woe. Isaac: What do you suppose brings Mr Edwards here? Let us question him and see what we can learn! Ask Callum Edwards what brought him to Ivory Hill. Isaac: Mr Edwards, we're investigating the murder of Barbara Coldwell, editor-in-chief of Pistols & Petticoats. Isaac: ...and for the second time now we have discovered your flask at a crime scene! Callum: Mrs Coldwell is dead? Who would have killed her? Isaac: That is what we're trying to find out. What is your connection to the Coldwell family? Callum: Well, I went to school with Mrs Coldwell's daughter, Verushka. Callum: After what happened in Grim Chapel, and my darling Annabel going to jail, I decided I needed a fresh start. Callum: I came back to Ivory Hill, and Verushka convinced her mother to hire me as an illustrator for Pistols & Petticoats. Callum: I suppose I'll have to find other work now... Examine Faded Card. Isaac: , the card you found on the crime scene reads, "To the queen of romance. From your biggest fan." And it's signed by a certain Ginny Farnsworth... Isaac: The "queen of romance"? This must have been intended for our victim. Pistols & Petticoats is famous for the romance stories it publishes. Isaac: I agree, we ought to speak to this Mrs Farnsworth! Let us seek her out! Ask Ginny Farnsworth what she knows about the murder. Isaac (presenting his badge): Mrs Farnsworth, we're investigating the murder of Barbara Coldwell, and- Ginny: Barbara's dead?! Ginny: I can't believe it! I feel... faint... (Ginny faints.) Ginny: ......... Isaac: , she's fainted! What should we do?! Ginny (using smelling salts): I'm... I'm alright. I just can't believe she's dead! This is a terrible loss for the world of romance! Isaac: I take it you were a fan of the stories she published? Ginny: Yes, but not just the stories! The wisdom that woman had was brilliant! Ginny: I followed the romantic advice column in Pistols & Petticoats religiously. I even wrote in with my own questions a handful of times. Ginny: If all the world listened to Mrs Coldwell's romantic advice, no one would be alone! Autopsy Victim's Body. Dick: ! I'm tickled pink to see you! Isaac: Ah, I assume you're making a humorous pun on our victim's color of choice? Have you found anything on the body? Dick: Well, Mrs Coldwell definitely died from the fall. Landing on the stairs broke her spine in two places. Dick: I also found traces of pink icing and donut crumbs on the front of the victim's dress. Isaac: Finding pink icing on a pink dress mustn't have been easy, I'm impressed! Dick: What's more, the stains were hand-shaped, which means they were left by the killer when they pushed the victim out the window! Dick: Unquestionably, your killer loves pink donuts! Isaac: , I wager shillings to donuts we'll bring this killer to justice! Later, on the airship... Isaac: , as much as I'd like to get back to stopping the Rochesters' plans, I have to admit this investigation has caught my interest! Isaac: Not only was Barbara Coldwell, editor-in-chief of Pistols & Petticoats, pushed out of her first-floor office window... Isaac: ... but her killer tried to frame her death as a suicide with a preposterous forged letter! Isaac: For now, our only suspects are people who seemed to love and respect her, even though her daughter seemed more concerned about her changing social life than her mother's death... Evie: , I'm sorry to interrupt, but this is important... Isaac: What is it, Evelyn? Evie (sweating): It's about your investigation... I have something to confess! Chapter 2 Isaac Bontemps: , solving Barbara Coldwell's murder is proving a more arduous task than anticipated... Isaac: We still do not know why someone would push the editor-in-chief of a romantic fiction magazine through her office window... Isaac: But whoever they are, they thought their poorly forged suicide letter would fool us! How could- Evie: , I'm sorry to interrupt but this is important... Evie (sweating): I have something to confess! It concerns your investigation. Isaac: A confession? Very well, Evelyn, let us go to your office! Ask Evie what she has to confess. Evie: , I'm sorry I didn't come to you before... As you know, I've written stories for Pistols & Petticoats... Isaac: But of course! I had forgotten about that! You must have known our victim! Evie (sweating): I did... um, as a matter of fact... she was here just this morning. Before she was brutally murdered. Isaac: The victim was here?! Evelyn, you should have told us that hours ago! Evie: I know, I'm sorry! I heard Barbara was dead and I... I panicked! Evie: I felt sick with nerves all morning... I couldn't even eat the sprinkle donut I'd bought for my breakfast! Evie: , Barbara was really scatterbrained. Maybe she left something behind in my office that could be of help to your investigation. Please, look through it at will. Isaac: We most certainly will! , let us have a look around! Investigate Evie's Library. Isaac: , at least Evelyn didn't lie when she said the victim was prone to leaving things behind. This bust clearly belonged to her! Isaac: There seem to be faint black marks on the bust... Perhaps a light dusting could reveal more? Isaac: And this bottle of champagne has a tag reading, "For Barbara." It was clearly a gift to Mrs Coldwell. Isaac: You're right, , there is a residue on the bottle. Testing a sample of it could tell us who bought this gift! Isaac: , as misguided as Evie was, keeping this information from us, searching her office has brought its share of new leads. Let's get to work! Examine Victim's Bust. Isaac: Someone defaced this bust of our victim, ! Isaac: Whoever they were, their anger at the victim is evident! Isaac: You're right, Diego will know how to analyze this clue and discover who did this. Let's pass it on to him! Analyze Graffiti. Diego: , judging from this bust, someone was extremely angry with your victim! Isaac: With all due respect, Diego, we didn't need your expertise to see THAT. Diego: Obviously, that's not all I found. A closer look at the brushstrokes shows a slight wobble in them. The layman might believe the wobble shows lack of skill with a brush. Diego: But I was able to determine that the wobble came from the vandal's BODY, not their hand. Diego: It is clear the vandal is actually very capable with a paintbrush. There is much artistic frustration in the piece. And the wobble is due to intoxication! Isaac: Who could- Oh, you're spot on, ! Callum Edwards is both a skilled artist and a drunkard! Isaac: I believe it's time we had another word with Mr Edwards... Interrogate Callum Edwards about the vandalized bust. Isaac: Callum, if Barbara Coldwell gave you employment, why did you deface a statue of her in such a way? Callum (sweating): Blast, you found that? I only did it out of frustration! Callum: At first, I was keen on doing work for Pistols & Petticoats. I thought I'd be drawing detectives, monsters, robots! And the free sprinkle donuts in the office were nothing to scoff at. Callum: But all Barbara wanted was beefy bimbos, moonstruck maidens, and seductive vampires! I wanted to jab out my own eyes! Isaac: So that is the reason behind her defaced bust? You wanted to get revenge on her? Callum: Artists have to express their true feelings! In that respect, I think this is some of my best work! Isaac: Let's hope your "work" did not include pushing her out of her window. And speaking of windows, I agree, , we should go back to the crime scene! Investigate Victim's Desk. Isaac: ! Judging by its gaudiness, this handbag couldn't have belonged to anyone but our victim! Let's see if it contains any important clues! Isaac: And you're right, this must be the notepad on which our killer wrote the fake suicide letter! The header is identical! Isaac: The notepad is covered in some strange crystalline substance... I agree, we had better collect some of it! Examine Notepad. Isaac: , the only thing hidden by those crystals was the victim's signature! Isaac: And since we know the killer wrote the fake suicide letter on this notepad, it's safe to assume they first practiced forging the victim's signature! Isaac: If Viola can identify the granular substance you collected from the paper, we could learn more about our killer! Analyze Crystalline Substance. Isaac: Pray tell, Viola, were you able to identify the crystals collected from the killer's practiced scribblings? Viola: I was! And let me tell you, this substance is definitely FOR the faint of heart! Isaac: I'm sorry, I don't follow you. Viola: The grains are a mixture of ammonium carbonate and eucalyptus oil. Basically, they're smelling salts! Viola: Smelling salts are used to increase one's alertness as well as to cure fainting spells. Isaac: Yes, , I do recall Mrs Farnsworth fainting when we first spoke to her! And she used smelling salts to recover... Viola: I assume smelling salts could also serve someone preparing to commit an act of murder, should they need that extra jolt of energy... Isaac: You heard it, , there's yet another clue to help us sniff out our killer! Examine Victim's Handbag. Isaac: , why was the victim carrying a wedding cake topper in her handbag? Isaac: I understand it is customary for a bride and groom to keep the figures from atop their wedding cake as a memento of the happy occasion... Isaac: ... but why would she have burnt it?! Isaac: You're right, perhaps I'm jumping to conclusions. We should have a closer look at the names on the base. Examine Burnt Cake Topper. Isaac: Curious... The names on the wedding cake topper are "John" and "Ginny." This clearly did not belong to our victim after all! Isaac: But you're right, , we know a "Ginny"! Isaac: We shall have to speak with Mrs Farnsworth again! Ask Ginny Farnsworth about the burnt cake topper. Isaac: Mrs Farnsworth, and I were wondering what the victim was doing with your wedding cake topper... Ginny: I sent that to Barbara as a present! I'm glad to see she received it! Isaac: Ah... Did you send it before or after it was set on fire? Ginny: Oh, I set it on fire before I sent it. To show her what I thought of her romantic advice! Ginny: See, I wrote to her to complain about my husband. Well, ex-husband. She told me to leave the bum! Ginny: Well, I did just that. I left him! Divorce papers filed, wedding ring pawned, finished! And what happens next? Ginny: The value of his business goes through the roof! Now he's worth MILLIONS! Ginny: Following that woman's advice was the worst decision of my life! All I've done since is cry and eat donuts, thinking of all that money! Ginny: At first I drafted a strongly-worded letter, using the Components of Composition to ensure I was communicating my message effectively. Ginny: Then it occurred to me - burn the cake topper and just send that! Now THERE'S a clear message! Examine Champagne Bottle. Isaac: Excellent, ! Let's hope putting the substance you've collected from the champagne bottle under the microscope will give us our victim's admirer! Examine Blue Substance. Isaac: , the residue on the bottle of champagne being gifted to our victim is soap! Isaac: Soap seems a generic enough clue to find, but this is Jingo brand soap, a kind I've only ever seen in City Hall. Isaac: I don't see who at City Hall could afford such champagne, apart from the Mayor himself! Isaac: It seems the Mayor is among the people who knew our victim! Let's seek him out! Talk to Cornelius Castletown about his knowledge of the victim. Isaac: Mayor Castletown, we found this gift you meant to give to Barbara Coldwell. Did you know her personally? Cornelius: , with all due respect, I've just come back from a fishing trip to find my newly-appointed Deputy Mayor was nearly killed... Cornelius: ... he's babbling something to me about the Rochesters staging an uprising, and you come to me with a bottle of champagne?! Isaac: Mayor, we understand these are dire times, but the champagne is a clue in our investigation of Mrs Coldwell's murder. Cornelius: She's been murdered? Cornelius: Barbara did a great service to Concordia by nourishing the imaginations of the people. Her work provided Concordians with an escape from everyday life, and I felt it deserved recognition. Cornelius: She shall be missed. And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to this little problem of attempted assassination! Later, in the airship... Isaac: , Eleanor Halsted is still at large, the Rochesters are still plotting to take over Concordia, and we're still no closer to solving Barbara Coldwell's murder! Isaac: Mayor Castletown and Evelyn are low on the list of suspects. Though it would have been nice if Evelyn had volunteered her information a bit sooner... Isaac: By contrast, Mr Edwards and Mrs Farnsworth are rather dodgy, but- Callum (sweating): ! They wouldn't let me on board, but I snuck by... I need your help. You have to lock me up! Isaac: Lock you up? Whyever would we do that? Callum: Because I'm CURSED! Chapter 3 Isaac Bontemps: Well, , I'm afraid we're not any closer to catching Barbara Coldwell's killer. Isaac: We've uncovered some hostile feelings toward Mrs Coldwell that could have precipitated her murder, but- Callum (sweating): ! They wouldn't let me on board, but I snuck by... I need your help, you have to lock me up! Isaac: Lock you up? Why ever would we do that? Callum: Because I'm CURSED! First Edgar, and now Mrs Coldwell! Every time I get angry at someone, they get MURDERED! Callum: , you have to put me in jail! I'm dangerous! Isaac: Mr Callum, the Flying Squad does not believe in curses. You need to rest and gather your thoughts. Isaac: , I'll show Mr Edwards to a room and meet you in Evie's library so we can have another look through it! Investigate Evie's Desk. Isaac: Good spot, ! Judging by the title in the corner of this page, it seems it came from an issue of Pistols & Petticoats! Isaac: But most of the page has faded. Let us dust it! Isaac: These metal pieces are quite curious... I suppose we'll have to reassemble them to see what purpose they serve. Isaac: And you're right, , it's possible there's something useful to our case inside that safe box! See if you can get it open! Isaac: Barbara Coldwell's killer won't be on the loose for much longer, , I can feel it! Examine Metal Pieces. Isaac: , I believe this is a printing plate! Not a strange thing to find in Evie's library, but why was it broken? Isaac: Plates like these are used to print newspapers, magazines, and books. If I remember correctly, you apply ink to the plate, then transfer it on paper. Isaac: The letters are engraved backward, but this seems to be a letter from the editor... Isaac: And you're right! This is a picture of Evelyn, right above the text "New editor-in-chief of Pistols & Petticoats"! Isaac: Did Evelyn have designs to replace Barbara Coldwell as editor of Pistols & Petticoats? We need to talk to her, ! Ask Evie about her plan to take the victim's job. Isaac: Evelyn, I'm disappointed in you! Why didn't you tell us about your desire to replace Mrs Coldwell as editor-in-chief of Pistols & Petticoats? Evie (sweating): I know how this looks, but it's not what you think! Evie: The magazine was a pet project of Barbara's, but she didn't take it seriously enough to make it a real contribution to the literary world! Evie: It needs someone with gumption to make that happen. Someone who's actually read Components of Composition, and who takes writing seriously. Isaac: Someone like you? Evie: Well, not some pink-clad biddy evangelizing romantic fluff! The mock-up I made shows what Pistols & Petticoats could be if it were taken seriously! Evie: Unfortunately, I made the mistake of showing it to Barbara this morning, and she was livid! She wouldn't stop screaming! Evie (sweating): I offered her some of my smelling salts to calm down, but instead, she broke the printing plate and left in a huff! Isaac: First Viola compromises her morals for her father, and now you do this! I sincerely hope you did not do worse, Evelyn! Examine Faded Page. Isaac: Oh! , that's... um, an interesting illustration! And it features our victim's name! Isaac: "Hook, Line, and Sinker at City Hall"... This must have been a page for one of Barbara's stories! Isaac (blushing): A love story at City Hall... , surely... surely this burly man isn't supposed to be our very own Mayor, is he?! Isaac: I agree, we had still better ask the Mayor about this story! Talk to Cornelius Castletown about "Hook, Line, and Sinker at City Hall". Isaac: Mr Mayor, we found this illustration for the victim's magaz- Cornelius: Oh, my Lord, hide this! Nobody can see this! Isaac: So you knew about the story. And from your reaction, I gather it WAS intended to be about you? Cornelius: Yes! Can you believe it? She thought I would be flattered. Said she would "turn City Hall into hotsy-totsy"! Cornelius: It would have made a fool out of me! Everyone would have assumed the story was true! It would be the scandal of the year! Cornelius: That's actually what the champagne was for. I had to convince her not to print the story. Cornelius: God, just talking about it is making me faint. I need my smelling salts! Examine Safe Box. Isaac: You got the safe box open, ! And there's an audio cylinder inside! Isaac: It's a recorded interview with our victim! I'm sure Charlie will be delighted to have a look at this! Analyze Audio Cylinder. Isaac: So, Charlie, did you listen to our victim's interview? Charles: I did! And I noticed an interesting moment when your victim is asked about her daughter Verushka. Charles: Mrs Coldwell says, "Like me, Verushka is inspired by possibility, but hers is the wrong kind of possibility - the possibility of material wealth." Charles: "Yes, my fictional maidens often marry rich, but it is true love they are after, not precious stones. In that way, Verushka is not like them; she is superficial and petty." Isaac: Our victim described her daughter as "superficial and petty" on the radio? That must have hurt Verushka's feelings! Isaac: It seems their relationship was more contentious than we first imagined. I agree, , we should speak with Verushka about this! Ask Verushka Coldwell about her relationship with her mother. Isaac: Miss Coldwell, we heard that radio interview your mother did recently. She was quite harsh when speaking of you, wasn't she? Verushka: Oh, God, FINALLY, someone else sees it! The woman only ever thought about herself! She never even bothered to introduce me to anyone! Veruska: I worked so hard to fit in with her crowd. Worked on my grammar with Composing Components of... of... Isaac: Components of Composition? Verushka: Yeah, that's the one! And still everyone walked right by me like I'm just a gorgeous piece o' furniture. Verushka: I remember at her last party, I was standing by the dessert table eating a donut, waiting for someone to notice me. Finally, this handsome egg walks up... Verushka: ... and he asks me to SERVE him a donut! My mom had made him think I was a waitress! Verushka: I spent the rest of the party in the ladies' room, sniffing my smelling salts to keep from crying and ruining my mascara! And my mom never apologized! Verushka (crying): Everyone thinks I'm just some Dumb Dora, but I'm a choice bit of calico! Later, on the airship... Isaac: Well, , further tensions between our suspects and our victim have come to light. Isaac: We now know that Mayor Castletown was trying to avoid potential defamation in the form of the victim's short story. Isaac: We also know that Mrs Coldwell was very vocal about being disappointed in her daughter, and her daughter saw her as an attention grabber. Isaac: I'm still disappointed in Evelyn for not being up front with us concerning her interest in the victim's job! Isaac: You're right, . If there's another piece missing from this puzzle, we'll find it at the crime scene! Let us hurry back there! Investigate Pistols & Petticoats Entrance. Isaac: , you discovered a nearly-empty bottle of smelling salts! Isaac: The killer must have dropped this bottle while fleeing the crime scene! Let's get a sample of that stain! Isaac: And I agree, , a dig through this pile of trash might yield another important clue. Isaac: Let's get to work, ! We've got a killer to catch! Examine Pile of Trash. Isaac: , that brooch you found in the trash is pink and gaudy as all get-out. Surely it belonged to our victim! Isaac: There's not a second to lose! Let us get this brooch to Viola! Analyze Brooch. Isaac: Viola, did the brooch found at the crime scene yield any useful information! Viola: Well, , we should all be grateful to the victim for being such a "sharp" dresser! Viola: Of course, I mean "sharp" in the literal sense. The brooch was pointy enough that it caught some black fibers in its points. Viola: The black fibers are felt, specifically the type of felt used in making hats. Viola: Since your victim famously never wore black, it was surely your killer who wore a black hat! Isaac: Indeed, , it's time our killer hung up their hat! Examine Smelling Salts Bottle. Isaac: Excellent work, ! Now we must hurry this sample you've taken from the bottle of smelling salts to Viola for testing! Analyze Black Substance. Viola: , the substance you found on the killer's bottle of smelling salts sure told a story! Viola: First, the substance is black ink. But what really interested me was the type of ink it was. Isaac: How do you mean, Viola? Viola: The ink is a special type, used in a new kind of pen called a "ballpoint pen." These pens contain the ink inside the shaft of the pen itself. Viola: The only way the ink could have escaped such a pen is if the pen was broken, perhaps during a scuffle! Isaac: A scuffle between our victim and her killer, you mean? Viola: Exactly. The victim's clothes were pristine, which means she was probably writing when the killer attacked her. In the subsequent skirmish, the pen broken and splattered the killer with ink... Isaac: ... which means our killer will still be sporting an ink stain on their clothes! Isaac: , this piece of evidence certainly puts our killer in a tough spot! After completing all the tasks... Isaac: , the writing is on the wall for Barbara Coldwell's killer! Let's go make the arrest! Take care of the killer now! Isaac: Verushka Coldwell, you are under arrest for the murder of your mother, Barbara Coldwell! What have you to say for yourself? Verushka: Me, a murderer? That's a laugh riot! , you should've gotten a job spinnin' yarns for Pistols & Petticoats! Isaac: Wrong, Miss Coldwell. The "laugh riot" was the suicide letter we found - which you wrote using Components of Composition! Isaac: It was well done that you tore the letter to pieces. No one in their right mind would have believed your mother wrote it! Verushka: You're saying my mother's death was a suicide? Oh, , it can't be! She seemed so happy! Isaac: It WASN'T suicide, that's our point! And she may have been happy, until you pushed her out the window, leaving donut icing and sprinkles on her bodice! Verushka: That could've been anyone! There are always free donuts at Pistols & Petticoats! You think I go around with dirty hands, ? Isaac: Perhaps you've washed your hands since murdering you mother, but that ink stain on your dress is a dead giveaway. You're our culprit! Verushka: ......... Veurshka: All right, I'll cop to it! I pushed her! The woman was insufferable! Verushka: She spent my entire life lording over me and hoggin' the spotlight! I could never be my own person! Verushka: I'd finally had it when she told me I couldn't marry Callum! She got all in a lather about it! Isaac: You and Callum are courting?! Verushka: Well, Callum didn't know it yet. I wasn't gonna tell him until it was time, you know? I know he'd be game. Ever since we were kids he's thought I was the bee's knees! Verushka: But that pink nightmare told me I'm not allowed to get married until I'm twenty-five! Can you believe it? That's FOREVER from now! I'm already an adult, for cryin' out loud! Verushka: That was the last straw! So I pushed her out the window! Isaac: Well, Miss Coldwell, according to your age you are legally no longer a minor. That much is true. Isaac: ... Regardless, I'm afraid the only "major" thing about you is your egotism! Isaac: You are under arrest for the murder of Barbara Coldwell! Judge Takakura: Verushka Coldwell, you are standing trial for the murder of your own mother! What do you have to say for yourself? Verushka: Sure, I did it, Judge. But she was like a big, pink mosquito, always buzzing in my ear! I couldn't take it anymore! Judge Takakura: All of this for a young man who apparently has no idea you're courting... Verushka: He would have been fine with it! You didn't know my mother, Judge. She tried to control my life to the last little bit! Judge Takakura: Well, if you thought SHE was overbearing, just wait until you meet the prison guards! Judge Takakura: Young lady, the Court sentences you to twenty-five years in prison for the cold-blooded murder of your own mother! Later, in the airship... Isaac: Well, , we finally caught Mrs Coldwell's killer! It's always so sad when a murder happens among family members. Chief Wright: Sad, indeed! Things are about to be sadder if we don't put a stop to the Rochesters' plans to overtake Concordia! Chief Wright: We're lucky you thwarted their assassination attempt on the Deputy Mayor, but Eleanor Halsted is still at large and may attack one of us next! Rose: , I've been thinking about this assassination business. Things are getting hairy out there, and we've got to protect ourselves! Rose: We're no good defending justice if we're vulnerable to attack! We can't afford to take any risks! Rose: And I think I've got just the thing to help us! No News Is Good News (4/6) Isaac Bontemps: , now that you've solved Barbara Coldwell's murder, we can get back to the matter at hand. Isaac: And that is doing everything in our power to stop the Rochesters from turning Concordia into their very own republic! Isaac: Now that Horatio has gotten his hands back on their bill to revoke the freedom of the press, it's only a matter of days until it gets passed! Isaac: And we've seen their plans for using the police to curb and dissidents once they've taken over! Rose: Not to mention their attempt on the Deputy Mayor's life! The Rochesters will clearly stop at nothing to see their plans through! Rose: , now with Eleanor Halsted at large and the Rochesters eager to stop us, we need to keep ourselves safe! Rose: And I think I know exactly how! Come see me in my office as soon as you can! (Rose leaves.) Viola: , is there anything I could help with? I still feel terrible that I'm the one who gave the bill back to Horatio. Viola: I heard you mention that all our efforts should go into taking Malcolm Rochester down, since he's their political figure... Discrediting him would shatter their credibility, and ruin their plans! Viola: Say, , you don't think Katherine Woolf might be able to help with that? If anyone has a scoop on our politician, it'd be her! Viola: I'm glad you agree! I'll get ready to go talk to her with you, unless you would rather hear what Rose has to say first! Talk to Katherine about the Senator. Viola (lacking her lab coat): Hello, Miss Woolf. was hoping you might have some useful information about Malcolm Rochester... something that might help us discredit him. Katherine: I'm ready to help! I'm still seething about their attempt to abolish freedom of the press! Katherine: And I think I know exactly how we can ruin his credibility... and the Rochesters' at the same time! Katherine: You see, , your latest victim, Barbara Coldwell, loved writing stories about political scandals. Katherine: Most people thought she was making the stories up, but the truth is she mostly used real-life political intrigue as inspiration! Katherine: She was so clued-in that I sometimes read her magazine as a sort of oracle, to find out if we were missing on a scoop in the Gazette! Viola: So what you're saying is she might have known something scandalous about Malcolm? , we need to search her office straight away! Investigate Pistols & Petticoats Office. Katherine: Well, , this notebook is definitely pink enough to have belonged to Barbara Coldwell! Viola: Hopefully there's something useful inside... Viola: The text is faded. But there are some people cut out from a magazine. Perhaps they're ideas for characters in this story? Katherine: We'll have to recover the text to find any information we can use! Examine Victim's Notebook. Viola: What does this writing say? Is that shorthand? Katherine: It's not like any shorthand I've seen. It just looks like illegible longhand! Katherine: , my Evie's a wiz at deciphering text; I bet she could figure out what this says! Analyze Illegible Writing. Evie: , as much as I felt Barbara didn't take her position as editor of Pistols & Petticoats seriously, there was a certain amount of activism and satire in her writing. Katherine: I was just telling about the disguised news content in her stories. Evie: This notebook you brought me is no different! It contains the rough draft of a story about an inventor uncle named Lionel, whose nephew is a devious Senator. Evie: The uncle spends much of his time lamenting that he's incapable of inventing anything that would improve the lascivious behavior of his Senator nephew. Viola: An inventor uncle? That sounds a lot like Leopold Rochester... Remember, , he's always been fond of inventions! Viola: And as for the never-do-well Senator nephew... this fits Malcolm to a tee! Evie: Yes, and given what the story says, proof of Malcolm's lasciviousness is exactly what we need to discredit him in the public eye! Katherine: Thanks for the tip, sweetheart! I've always gotten along well with Leopold. He's not like the rest of the family. Let's go talk to him, ! Ask Leopold Rochester about Malcolm Rochester. Katherine: Thank you for meeting us, Leopold. You know , and this here is Viola Pemberton- Leopold: Viola, of course! I'm sorry about what my brother did to you, my dear. I hope you know you're always welcome in this family. Viola: Thank you so much! Leopold: I'm guessing you're not here to talk about my family. How can I help you? Katherine: Actually, that's exactly why we're here. I assume you're aware of your family's plans to take over Concordia. Leopold: Yes, and I obviously disapprove! But there's no reasoning with the likes of Malcolm! Katherine: We know you've been trying your best to reason with him already. Can you tell us more about him? Something that might help... twist his arms a little? Leopold (blushing): Malcolm enjoys visiting... women of loose virtue. It's been a bit of a problem. Leopold: I've tried to talk Malcolm out of it many times. I even confronted him with a photograph of his excess, in vain! Katherine: You mean there is photographic evidence of Malcolm's... indulgence? Where is it? Leopold: It is probably still on the corner of Howard Avenue and Caspary Street. That's where Malcolm tore it to pieces. Viola: Thank you, Uncle Leopold! , that's where the Pistols & Petticoats office is! We need to go! Leopold: Surely, my dear, you all have time to stay for a meal. I would very much like to get to know my niece. Investigate Street Corner. Katherine: Look, ! This could be the torn-up photo Leopold told us about! Katherine: We don't have a second to lose! Work your magic! Examine Torn Photo. Katherine: , that's a photo of Malcolm, alright! And these ladies definitely aren't his wife! Katherine: They also do not seem happy at all to be there, for which I can't blame them... Katherine: , can you imagine if the public saw this picture of good Senator Rochester partying with harlots right after the death of his only son?! Katherine: There would be nothing left of the Rochesters' power in City Hall! Their plans for Concordia would never come through! Katherine: I know exactly what to do with this picture... But first, , I would very much like to rub this in Malcolm's face! Let's pay the Senator a visit, shall we? Confront Malcolm Rochester with proof of his debauchery. Malcolm: ! I hope you're not here to get the bill back, because that baby's being passed tomorrow! Katherine: Actually, I have a feeling that won't happen... Katherine (holding a photo): ... and this is the reason why! Malcolm: Where did you get that?! Give it back! Katherine: Oh, no, no... I think I'd rather print it on the front page of the Concordian Gazette, since freedom of the press still exists. Katherine: And we'll eagerly await the backlash once everyone in Concordia sees this. Try and pass a bill after that, Senator Nincompoop! Malcolm: You can't do that to me! This is why I wrote the bill in the first place! Katherine: , I think we're done here. I'll go prepare that article. Here's a little something for your help! Talk to Rose about her plan to defend ourselves. Rose: , the assassination attempt on Deputy Mayor Lawson made me realize how unprepared we are in the face of direct attacks! Rose: But I have a solution! I have been thinking of a type of body armor that could protect us from bullets while retaining our physical mobility. Rose: I got so far as making a blueprint for it, but your investigation resulted in Evie's library being upended, and I cannot find my blueprint! Rose: I'd be grateful if you helped me search for it! Investigate Evie's Library. Rose: Good idea, , I know Evie uses this cabinet to hold things when her desk piles high with books and papers! Rose: In an effort to make space, she might have put the body armor diagram inside. Let's have a look through it! Examine Office Cabinet. Rose: , you were right! My diagram was in Evie's cabinet! Rose: As you can see, it would look like a kind of light vest... I won't bore you with calculations, but if you leave me a few hours, I can build a working prototype! Analyze Body Armor Plan. Rose: , I've finished the body armor prototype! Rose: With the plans Evie and I drew up, combined with some historical research on ballistics protection, I finally arrived at a construction I think will work. Rose: I've layered soft, silk fabric with sheets of nickel and steel, which work together as both a barrier and cushion to stop high-velocity ballistics. Rose: As far as I can tell, this prototype will be effective against most firearms, at both long and short ranges. Rose: The last step is to test the thing to see if it works! So, who do we know that's crazy enough to wear this vest and let us fire bullets at them? Rose: , it's like you read my mind! If you can get Dick for the test, I'll prepare everything! Test the bulletproof vest on Richard. Dick (wearing a bulletproof vest): , this is so exciting! Not only am I helping the Squad advance the science of bodily protection... Dick: ... but I also get to cross off a big item on my list of things to do before I die! Rose: You've never been shot before, Dick? Not even as an experiment on yourself? Dick: Oh, I've considered it. But it wouldn't be the same to do it to myself. I'm interested in the psychological experience of being shot at, not the physical feeling of a bullet wound. Rose (holding a shotgun): Well, here's your chance. I need you to stand real still, okay? If you move at all, you could be very seriously hurt. Rose (shooting): ......... BANG! BANG! Dick (recoiling): ......... Dick: The bullets didn't go through! That was fantastic! You think we could do this every morning? That's far more effective than a cup of coffee! Rose: Let's not get carried away. These vests are quite expensive to make. Rose (holding a bulletproof vest): But , this means we've got our solution! Now we'll be ready for whatever the Rochesters throw our way! Here, put this on! Later, on the airship... Isaac: , I'm glad to hear that we now have an extra measure of protection in these uncertain times! Isaac: Officers are still on the hunt for Eleanor Halsted, but at least no we're prepared for whatever may come. Evie: Something tells me the Rochesters won't be a problem much longer... Evie (holding a newspaper): Katherine published the article on Malcolm Rochester's extramarital antics! Chief Wright: The backlash in response to the scandal is already massive! Chief Wright: I have word that Malcolm has already resigned from his position as Senator, disgraced. The bill has been removed from legislation. Maddie: With Malcolm discredited and the bill abandoned, the Rochesters will never manage to get the support they need for their republic! Maddie: ... Which is great news, because having the Rochesters control Concordia really would have put a damper on the wedding! Maddie (presenting her engagement ring): Oh, yes, , did you know? Charlie and I are engaged! Isaac: What beautiful news, Madeline! Congratulations to you both! Maddie: Thank you! I'm so happy! Chief Wright: Yes, congratulations, Madeline. This certainly provides some light to combat recent darkness. Chief Wright: That said, , we must stay on our guard! Chief Wright: Something tells me the Rochesters still have more tricks up their sleeves. Keep your wits about you, . There's surely more to come... Category:Criminal Case Category:Transcripts